Review Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X: a manly chest-pounder and as reliable as a hound-dog (Part 2)

Editor's Note: Click HERE for part one of this Nissan review.

When last we read, our hero was dashing about in his mighty Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X – avoiding angry farmers and “The Man.”

Later, on dirt roads less traveled (near a great ORV trail near Garden of the Gods), I let the little Nissan stretch its legs as I started some nifty drifting on dirt-filled corners. Inside, the cab was fairly calm and the Rockford/Fosgate XM stereo kept me rockin.’ It was a BLAST!

Unfortunately, driving kamikaze and almost nude (odd I know…a truck like this makes me want to do - - - things) cut my combined mpg to less than 14 mpg.

On the road and at the home improvement store, the Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X rides only slightly harder than the regular Frontier. The front seats are comfortable, although I would rather have more bolster for lateral movement than the nifty “PRO4X” stitching on the seatbacks – especially if I drove shirtless. That emblem indented upon my back would be hard to explain at the pool.

I prefer the seating position in the Frontier over the Toyota Tacoma – a bit. I think Toyota has a slightly higher quality interior whereas the Nissan Frontier has a little bit more for the money. The Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X adds to the interior with some cool-looking red stitching and a sweet feeling, leather wrapped steering wheel.

Backseat room is fine for kids or average sized folks (i.e. less than 6-feet tall) and loading kid’s seats and baby seats are a snap with doors that open as wide as the Frontier’s do. It is a small cab and I recommend the burly Nissan Titan for folks who need more room (if the want to stick to Nissan).

The standard 5-foot bed is a tad small for folks who haul motorcycles (it can be done, but with little space left over). I had no problem buying a door at Habitat for Humanity’s store in Denver (http://www.habitatmetrodenver.org/) and tying it to the bed with those nifty, unscrew-to-move, metal cleats on the insides of the bed.

Oh, and if you like towing – you can tug up to 6,100 lbs baby! The 4X2 can go up to 6,300 lbs – both of which are awesome numbers. I remember when full-size pickup trucks were near those numbers. Maximum payload for the Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X is 1,127 lbs – not too shabby either.

Is it worth it for 32 - $34,000?

If you truly go off road, then hell yes! Not only is the Nissan Frontier 4X4 PRO4X an excellent truck, along with the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon, Toyota FJ, Dodge Power Wagon and Hummer H3T, it’s one of the best off-road trucks for the money.

If it were a bit larger, I would seriously consider trading in my Rover.

Automotive media, racing, vehicle evaluation, wrecking yards, and car sales are just a part of Nathan Adlen’s vehicular past. He writes out of high octane passion! To read more reviews by Nathan Adlen or just to enjoy more of excellent writing please visit him on at his examiner.com page HERE.

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